Friday, July 27, 2012

Fatherless Friday

UPDATE ON AMELIA...

Can I just say that if anyone thinks that what we did by adopting Aaron was amazing...

IT AIN'T  NOTHING COMPARED TO THESE FAMILIES...

They put me to shame!!

Adoption is on their hearts and minds.

Despite the criticism they get.  Despite the rolled eyes.  Despite the hits by the trolls who are quick to point out that they have TOO MANY KIDS!

These three families make me want to sit small in my chair because they are seriously not only talking the talk but they are walking the walk!!

THE ARCHER FAMILY
THE SHARP FAMILY
THE BOROUGHS FAMILY

Three families who have answered the call to adopt despite their 'quivers being full.'

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The Archers have adopted 13 CHILDREN!! And they are not finished!!

Their hearts are so incredibly big and each time the Holy Spirit whispers - THEY RESPOND!

They are adopting three of our Mulligan Stew Babes!!



THEY ARE ALMOST READY TO CROSS THE OCEAN TO GET THESE BOYS OUT AND STILL NEED AROUND 5,000!!

My dear friend Patti is desperately trying to help them raise those final funds.  She wrote a BEAUTIFUL POST on Wednesday and I would LOVE IT if you would go over to blog and read her post and then donate to the Archers.  Patti is doing a Giveaway for an iPad 3.

GO HERE TO GET TO PATTI'S BLOG
GO HERE TO DONATE TO THE ARCHERS

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE HELP THE ARCHERS GET THEIR KIDS HOME!!

I seriously LOVE The Archer family.  Do you know that despite the fact that she has a quiver full of kids... she took the time to make me a prayer shawl as a thank you for putting her boys in our Mulligan Stew?  IT IS ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL.

Like I said... Families like the Archers make me want to sit small in my chair!!

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My second BIG FAMILY is the Sharp family.

A Dozen Reasons & More

I LOVE THIS PICTURE!!

This is the coolest family!

See the little guy at the very end?? He's a Reece's Rainbow babe and I followed his adoption process.


He has come so far and I have been so blessed to watch his progress.  His name is Kullen and he has a form of dwarfism.  When the Sharps arrived at his baby house the director TRIED TO CONVINCE THEM TO PICK ANOTHER CHILD.  He was damaged goods in their eyes.  

THIS IS NOT DAMAGED GOODS!!



The Sharps have also been listening to the Holy Spirit whispers and they are again being called across the ocean to adopt two more little ones who also have a form of dwarfism.  

Rowyn and Zekiel

    

Life as a dwarf in their country is far from pleasant.  My heart aches to think what will happen to these two treasures if someone doesn't go get them.  Oh how precious the day when they will be added to the picture above!!

Adopting both kids is going to cost the Sharps around 40,000!!  

PLEASE WON'T YOU HELP??

The Sharps have an auction going on with some really cool stuff  in it and also a $1,000 matching grant has been offered.  

They have a bike raffle and some other stuff going on... PLEASE HELP THEM... 

SO FAR THEY HAVE HAD LITTLE SUPPORT AND THAT MAKES ME SAD!!

Tracey is a wonderful writer and if you go over to her blog and start reading... well... she has some very interesting stories to tell.  She also has some very interesting pictures she took. One of them knocked my socks off!!    I'm not telling which one.... 


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This is my dear friend Amy.


I met her almost two years ago at an Adoption Expo.  The Lord knit our hearts together for the few hours that we yelled for the babes on Reece's Rainbow and we have been bonded ever since.  This past weekend I had the privilege of seeing her again at the Down Syndrome convention and I was blessed beyond measure to spend quality time catching up in real life what is hard to do on the internet.

I was especially blessed to watch her with Aaron and all the other babes around her. 


She has SEVEN adoption treasures.  Three of them are Reece's Rainbow babes.  Four of them have Down Syndrome.  She didn't have any of them with her this past weekend.  With that many kids, most people would have taken a baby break but not Amy.  She was loving on every kid she could get her hands on.  I was so impressed by how gentle she was with each one. 

Conventional wisdom would tell Amy and Adam that they have enough kids...


But Adam and Amy aren't tuned into conventional wisdom... they have their hearts tuned to Holy Spirit whispers that call them to go here and go there.  They have been all across the globe gathering their kids and they are not stopping.  A little girl with Down Syndrome is sitting in an orphanage across the ocean and they are again answering the call.

This past week they sent their dossier across the ocean.

Frustratingly enough, they couldn't write a check to submit their dossier because the grant money they have applied for hasn't come in SO THEY PUT 6,000 ON THEIR CREDIT CARD.

The next day they learned they need another 5,000.  

Good grief.  In the long run it is a small price to pay for a tiny little girl who is going to fit perfectly into that family. But in the short run - it is rather overwhelming.

I want to help them.


WOULD YOU PLEASE CONSIDER HELPING THEM??  

Donating into their Reece's Rainbow account?

I can't show pictures of their sweet one because of the agency rules in their country but will you PLEASE help bring Maddie home??


PLEASE BLESS THEM AS THEY HAVE BLESSED SO MANY OTHER LIVES!!

P.S.  Amy is not the only one in the family who cares deeply about orphans.  Adam was the nurse who went with the Mussers to help bring Katie home last fall.  KATIE WAS THE INSPIRATION FOR ADDING THE KIDS FROM PLEV*N INTO OUR MULLIGAN STEW!  He didn't know the Mussers but felt God tap on his shoulder to volunteer his services. I know the Mussers were beyond grateful for his skills during that scary trip home.

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And for those who have been praying for our little Mulligan Stew babe who was taken out of the orphanage this week..  PLEASE KEEP PRAYING.  She is just a little bit of a thing and is just hanging on to life right now.  She's struggling to eat or drink and at 12 pounds at 12 years old... THAT IS VERY DANGEROUS.  They are still over there.  Last I heard she has been twice to the hospital.  They are hoping for a feeding tube to be put in to stabilize her as they are scheduled to leave tomorrow.  

This is Amelia.  SHE IS TWELVE YEARS OLD.

Photo: It is morning her and we did get about 5 hours sleep.  Amelia was able to sleep without waking up choking, praise God.  Today I will try again feeding her the bottle after she gets more reflux meds. This was a picture of Gotcha Day. She loved the car ride but did not like getting out.

    Photo: Jenny Sousa-Brown and Amelia


    Please pray for her and for the other three who are also desperately needy.  Pray God's hand of protection on them as they fly out tomorrow.

    UPDATE AS OF 11:50 AM...

    " I just returned from the hospital ,Amelia is admitted she will stay until the very last moment in other words she will be having a taxi pick me and Amelia from the hospital to the airport for our f...light. We leave Bulgaria 0715 (time here) to Germany. Amelia has a PH of 7.28. her blood glucose is 36. they have her on IV fluids with Sodium Bicarbonate I have just gotten back to teh hotel and am packing our suitcases so I can go quickly to the store, pay off our hotel and go back to the hospital. please . please pray. The us embassy has arranged for Dept of Homeland security to meet us once the plane lands Washington and through the line so we can get to our next gate.""

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    Some people get offended that I say that adopting these kids is a rescue.

    I stand by my words.

    The three Archer boys, the two little Sharp babes and Amy's little Maddie - They are all special needs kids who face a lifetime in institutions if someone doesn't cross the ocean for them.  Look at Amelia.  What the Brown are doing for her is pure and simple RESCUE.  

    Help these families RESCUE these kids!

    PLEASE!










    7 comments:

    1. I thank God for what these families are able to do!

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    2. Please don't feel small and sit in a small chair. Remember that God has obviously blessed them with the house and income to be able to adopt so many children. You make me feel bad because we are adopting only one child but that's all we are "allowed" to adopt. We can not be approved to adopt even one more child because of our income. We have already maxed out our credit card and we are also wondering how we're going to pay for the final flight. Every single person who is adopting is doing the best they can with what they have, please remember that. Also remember that you do so much to help adopting families and that is HUGE. Never think of yourself as small because if you're small so are we. We thank you so much for what you did to help us during the Mulligan Stew. It made a HUGE difference. You have no idea how much your help has helped us. We thank God for your help. I'm writing you to give YOU a boost. You make a HUGE difference in the lives of adopting families never forget that! You are HUGE and important!!! Please don't post this, it's meant for you only. I was hesitant about writing this but I think you need to hear that you make a HUGE difference whether you are adopting or the one helping those adopting.

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      1. Oh Susan!! Forgive me! I am so very sorry to make YOU feel bad! We were only allowed to adopt one and right now we can't even do that. Every single one matters. Yours. Ours. The three the Archers are getting. Every one. We just do what we can!! THANK YOU FOR ADOPTING YOUR SWEET ONE.

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      2. You didn't actually make me feel bad. :) I just want you to know you are so IMPORTANT to the lives and families of these children being adopted and the ones still waiting. I wish we could do more like you are. You are HUGE! IMPORTANT! SIGNIFICANT! I thank God for your family!

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    3. Anyone who thinks that these children would have a better life in their home countries are fooling themselves. Until their home countries change their opinions of the worth of these disabled children, they're going to be subject to awful neglect that no orphan or otherwise parentless child would be subjected to in the US.

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    4. Thanks so much for the update re. little Amelia, and for the photos - she and her family are in my prayers. In the past, I would have thought her story almost unimaginable - now, I know differently. Thank God and those who are His hands in the world for telling the truth about Pleven, and for bringing light and love into that darkness.

      The proceeds of my recent yard sale are about to start on their way to Reece's Rainbow, to be given to the child or family whose need is greatest. I wish I could help them all...but cannot even decide on my own where the greatest need is right now, with so many needing assistance, so will leave that tough decision to those in closer contact. Perhaps the proceeds could be divided.

      Of course, the other yard sale "contribution" was the opportunity to spread the word and to encourage others to take a look at the RR website and the linked blogs. A number of people made small, very welcome donations, and said they'd pursue it, which was great on both counts!

      Thanks once again for all you do..

      Susan in Ky
      Cousint o 2 from EE

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    5. May I ask who adopted 12 year old Amelia who is at such high risk. I have been praying for her this evening that she can survive the trip home and have immediate emergency care once she is in-country. If her parents have a blog I want to follow her progress and continue praying for her. ~ Tharen

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    Loving words from kind people make our hearts glad!